Radiators are integral parts of a heating system in many homes, commercial buildings and in various institutions. What should you keep in mind, when you need to replace an old radiator?

Ribbed Or Panel Radiator?

Naturally, when choosing a heating system, there are a number of factors to consider. First of all, it is necessary to choose the right type. As to this, you have a wide choice of both panel and ribbed radiators. In most homes, quality panel radiators are preferred nowadays: they are more efficient, aesthetically interesting, as well as more dimensionally compact, which are the qualities appreciated by most people. On the other hand, for bathrooms, special bathroom radiators (“ladders”) are the most suitable.

When choosing a radiator, you need to take the external conditions, building insulation, size of the rooms, as well as the correct location into account (it certainly should be under the windows, but not behind curtains or furniture). However, the performance is the key factor, which must be sufficient to heat the entire interior space, and to do it as cheaply as possible. Secondary are features such as the design, although you have to remember that the ribbed or panel radiator will also be an aesthetic part of the room.

a traditional ribbed radiator

Get Experts Advice

Finally, there is an important tip for you. There is a really huge choice of radiators on the market, which is difficult to orient in for most people. However, the proper selection can save you a lot of money. Fortunately, there is a multitude of online shops where you can buy cheaper than in a store, while you can get some advice there, too.

The built-in wardrobes can have a major influence on the visual impression of the room. They are suitable both in a bedroom and in a children´s room and, in combination with sliding doors, they save a lot of space.

The built-in wardrobes became widely known in the 1920´s already and they enjoy constant popularity since then. The people having experience with them cannot speak highly enough of them.

Compared to classical furniture, the wardrobes have a big advantage: their individuality. You can build them even in locations where no other cabinet could be squeezed in and moreover, their inner space will be arranged directly according to your wishes.

Storage Space Is Priceless

Experts have calculated that a wardrobe, compared to traditional cabinets, can save you up to half the space (which means several m²). The deep wardrobes are the most useful, the ideal depth is around 65 cm. You can place e.g. coat hangers and large items inside conveniently, which are hard to store elsewhere. A narrow wardrobe is chosen in areas with limited space, such as in hallways and foyers. Each additional storage space is good, you can use narrow cabinets e.g. for storing small items in baskets, containers and boxes. Wardrobes are built from the floor to the ceiling, so their height may be up to 3 m. However you can utilize even the highest places by using pantographs. You can pull the suspension system up to the waist level by a rod, which certainly makes the process of choosing clothes easier and more pleasant. Wardrobes can also serve as practical partitions dividing rooms.

Internal Arrangement

The internal arrangement of a wardrobe depends solely on its owners, as they can choose what extras they would like to use. Among the practical gadgets, there is a variety of sliding mechanisms used for clothes hangers, for pants, skirts or ties, there are sliding shoe racks, clamps for hoses or for a whole vacuum cleaner, iron holder or even a sliding ironing board. Especially in children bedrooms, sophisticated systems are often used, which can hide a whole bed in the wardrobe. The fold-down single beds and double beds are practical also in small apartments, where the living room and the bedroom are one and the constant presence of beds is not desirable.

Beware Of Shards

Mirrors are popular on doors of built-in wardrobes. Ensure your safety and insist on the use of safety film which prevents shattering the glass into dangerous shards.

Would you like to reconstruct your bathroom, but you are discouraged by the arduousness, building interventions, mess and length of implementation needed? We have a solution for you: you can do the reconstruction by using the ultra-thin Slim Large-Format Tiles. These can be glued directly to the original material.

Reconstruction Quick and Clean

Thanks to a special technology, Slim Large-Format Tiles are only 3.5 mm thick and their weight is about 1/3 of weight of standard tiles. They are reinforced with glass fibre mesh, which provides them with high mechanical strength and durability. What is why you do not worry using even the largest ones. This type of tiles are available in sizes up to 3×1 m. You can accomplish the reconstruction of your bathrooms really quickly, cleanly and without the need for building intervention and the following disposal of debris.

There is a wide range of designs to choose from: glossy marble tiles, modern matte imitations of wood or monochromatic tiles in warm muted colours. There are more than 70 unique designs available, including originals such as the polished ONIX. Tiles are calibrated, so they can be glued with minimal joints and they look like a single surface, in effect.

The big advantage of these tiles is the possibility of using them in the exterior, as well, e.g. for insulation of facades.

Do you know the pleasant feeling when you are lying down to a freshly covered bed? It is not a matter of course – the first step is choosing the best bedding.

There is a plethora of colours, patterns and materials available. It is mainly the material used what affects the quality of your sleep. Other factors are also very important, such as the ability of removing moisture, maintaining a constant temperature as well as good absorbency. You will be likely interested also in other factors, such as an easy maintenance, specifically what temperature must be used for washing, if the material needs ironing or how fast it dries.

Choice Of The Material

First, you need to choose the right material. The most commonly used material is cotton in various modifications. Its benefits include breathability, good absorption and excellent ability to regulate temperature, thus creating an ideal environment for sleep. Also flannel beddings are made from pure combed cotton with double-sided pile, that is why their use properties are comparable. These linens are recommended especially in cold months, because the material is coarser, it warms you easily and it retain the warmth. In summer season, we recommend you satin beddings made of high quality combed long fibre cotton.

This material is very soft and snug, however its price is higher. You can also choose terry linen which is made from a blend of cotton and polyester, that is why its maintenance is easier. You can also get polyester bedding (made from synthetic fibres). This material dries very quickly, however its absorptive capabilities are not good. Crepe fabric is also a very popular choice; it is soft shaped cotton. These are the most common materials – and their list is far from over.

What Features Are Important?

Generally, when choosing the bed linen, you keep to your preferences above all, but you need to consider the basic differences, as well. Thus artificial materials are considerably less absorbent than natural materials however they are easier to maintain. The colour and design of bed linen should suit to the rest of the interior.

If a member of your family suffers from allergy, you should know that there is anti-mites linen available. It is impregnated with a special substance which remains active for 40 washings at 40 ° C (104 °F). You can get it in various materials and it is often made of crepe or satin.

What Size Do You Need?

After you have chosen the colour, pattern and material, you need to select the right size. There are the classic length (pillow 70 × 90 cm, blanket 135 x 200 cm) and the extended length (blanket 140 × 200/220 cm). The same applies to children’s sizes, which are available in the classic size (pillow 40 x 60 cm, blanket 90 x 130 cm) and the extended size (blanket 100 x 135 cm). You can also see the “French variant” of linen (which can be in the extended version, too). This is a bedding for a double bed with 2 pillows of the classic size and 1 blanket of the classic size (210 x 200 cm) or of the extended size (210 x 220 cm).

Now, you need to combine all your demands on the linen with an affordable price, and we wish you a peaceful and comfortable sleep.

It is not easy to arrange a bathroom in an apartment or in a house, so that it met the practical requirements and it also fitted into the given space.

If you have a chance to influence the layout of the components in your bathroom, think twice before you decide where you place each component and how much space you will get around it. A washing machine, a sink and a bathtub require enough space around them. Sufficient space will make easier both your personal hygiene and any later works that will be done in the bathroom.

Manufacturers of bathroom accessories states different dimensions. Unfortunately, many bathrooms in blocks of flats do not even approach these values.

You need at least 75 cm from the edge of the object into free space in front of a bath, a sink and a toilet. The reason is you need to be able to bend, turn around and get up comfortably. At the same time, the distance between the sanitary items should not be less than 25 cm.

“It is 60 cm between the centres of a toilet and a bidet. The same applies to the distance between a toilet and a urinal. The distance between the centre of a toilet, a bidet or a urinal and other stationary object (a corner, a wall) should be 40 cm at least. Ideally, it should be 80 cm around a toilet”, an expert says.

There should be a gap of at least 25 cm between a sink and a side wall. A sink needs to be 65 cm wide, so that you could wash conveniently. A shower enclosure should be at least 90 cm wide. The handling area in front of a washing machine should not be less than 90 cm, especially if you plan a front-loading washing machine (then it is a real necessity).

The depth of the space, in which a toilet is located, should be 120-135 cm at least. However, in many reconstructed block of flats, it is only 80-98 cm. The height of the toilet does not usually cause any difficulties. A toilet seat should be able move as needed, between 40 and 50 cm.

Anyway, when planning a bathroom, consider the body proportions of all the people who are going to use the bathroom. If you do not have enough space for both a bath and a shower, you can prefer a more spacious, at least 90 cm wide, enclosure with disabled access. Not only it looks better, but its recessed tray or a suitable floor surface is more enjoyable both for stepping in and out of the shower.

And if you cannot imagine a bathroom without a bath, choose one that is not only beautiful but comfortable and safe, as well.

Do you also have troubles with poor draining in your shower enclosure, as well as constant troubles with the sealing there? We have a suggestion for you, how to solve this tricky situation once and for all.

You certainly know the problems of a shower enclosure with the typical raised tray. You have to re-seal it regularly, due to the poor installation, and when you are having a shower, you wade through water after a while. What can be done?

Simple Is Good

The Danish floor drainage system Unidrain is placed right at the floor level, compared to traditional trays. This approach has several advantages:

More safety – easier access would certainly be appreciated not only by the elderly ones

It is more hygienic – the maintenance is less demanding

Specific design

The larger floor area

This system aims to be 100% waterproof

The Core Of The Drain System

Unlike the existing systems, Unidrain is placed directly against a wall and better waterproof transitions between the vertical wall and the floor are provided by wall flanges. Application of a smoothing waterproofing layer should be sufficient, the interior shower enclosures do not need further sealing. Reliability and strength are ensured by the material of high quality stainless steel, which also has a good resistance to corrosion. The unilateral downward slope of the drainage area is beneficial primarily, as it prevents the formation of holes, which could hold water.

Pure Design

The Unidrain system was created by Danish architects. They obviously did not consider only the functionality, but also the aesthetics. Thanks to a simple installation which requires minimal cutting of pavement, the user can safely select large format tiles; these are installed on a completely flat surface. The design is very unobtrusive and, due to the stainless steel finish, it looks very clean.

Not a popular matter in the CR, but a norm in other countries. According to surveys, the Czechs find it “to occupy the space in the bathroom unnecessarily”, while in Japan, it is a standard even in the public toilets.

Would You Like A Pony?

The word “bidet” comes from the French and means a “pony”. The equipment acquired its name from the type of sitting in which it is used. A bidet, which is a low type of basin adapted for washing of the intimate parts, is a cornerstone of home hygiene ever since its invention around 1700 AD. Interestingly, a bidet was a part of a bedroom at first and did not move into a bathroom until two hundred years later. Around 1960, a new technology allowed the incorporation of a bidet nozzle directly into the toilet (controlled by a lever faucet), which significantly saved the space in a bathroom. However, this invention is not much known in this country…

Health Is First

The regular use of a bidet is helpful to prevent the colon and rectum cancers, and in Europe, these deceases have the most frequent occurrence in the CR. Approximately 8,300 Czechs contract this insidious disease annually and about 4,000 of them die of it. It is no longer possible to intervene in any way in 54% of the cases, because of the advanced stage of the disease. The popularity of fatty foods and the lack of exercise contribute to the development of the disease, as well as excessive drinking of beer; it contains a high proportion of yeast and has adverse affect on the intestinal microflora thus contributing to the development of rectum cancer. A bidet, which supports the blood supply in these body parts by means of a stream of lukewarm water, is beneficial in the case of haemorrhoids, too.

Practicality Second

The bidets are mostly purchased in a united design as an original bathroom furniture piece. If you are short of space, you can use a so called “micro bidet”, which can be subsequently mounted to any type of toilet. It just needs to be connected to the water supply (in the case, cold water is OK for you, there is no need for further assembly), installed under the toilet seat and then you can simply use it (by means of an electric control, in the case of a more sophisticated type).

The micro bidet is economical. Its advantages are easy assembly and maintenance. The device is adjustable according to requirements of the user. The device is concealed, so it does not interfere with the interior design.

It is also an excellent solution for people with reduced mobility or for the elderly ones, who find the hygiene in a classical tub or a shower too demanding physically.

Luxury The Third

You can get a bit of luxury for an extra cost. The more expensive devices offer various functions: adjusting of the water temperature, setting of the water pressure and the position of the water stream and even the massage washing mode. All this can be set by a remote control. There are also preheated seats, an odour filter or a drying function in this luxury series.

An aerator, a hose, a vintage or a modern design – it is not easy to select a water tap for your kitchen sink.

All great artists would certainly agree that attention to details is very important for the overall impression of the work and that sheer trifles can make a big difference in the end. If you want your kitchen to be a small work of art, you should pay attention to the details, such as the water taps.

A kitchen tap should be both practical and good looking. Together with the rising demands for the quality and comfort of living, these practical fixtures become important accessories of the whole kitchen interior.

The Water Tap Practical

A practical water tap makes washing of the dishes or ingredients before their further processing easier and you can also fill a big pot with a gallon of water without having to put the pot into the sink. This is the water tap with the spray, which is currently available on the market in a wide choice. How does this sort of water tap work? Normally, water flows through an aerator in a strong current. By pressing a switch on the spray of the water tap, you can switch the water current to the spray mode, in which the water is dispersed into a series of thin streams, just like in a shower.

This improvement is most appreciated when you wash vegetables, such as lettuce. And if you do not have a dishwasher, this kind of water stream is good for rinsing the dishes. The next advantage of the spray is the option to pull it out the tap. According to the length of the hose, it is possible to pull the spray out up to 1 m. It is just enough for the aforementioned large pot to be placed on the worktop next to the sink and to be comfortably filled with water. It is equally easy to fill a vase or a high bottle with water. A lead weight enables easy sliding of the spray back into the body of the water tap.

The Water Tap Good Looking

It means a water tap which is an aesthetic complement of the kitchen, besides its main function. It can be an inconspicuous complement, e.g. when a matt chrome water tap is placed in the middle of a sink, or it can become a dominant of the worktop – it can tower up to the height of about 75 cm above the sink with its metal spiral spring around its hose. However, it is true, that the design water taps are always more expensive then the serial ones.

There is certainly a wide offer of water taps nowadays. There are minimalist water taps with simple shapes and clean design, water taps with a lever, exchangeable parts and various twisted spouts, as well as downright rustic water taps made of brass with the porcelain knobs. There are so many of them, that you will certainly be able to find a tap, which is both practical and pretty, for your kitchen so that it would be either a suitable complement to a new kitchen, or it would revive an old kitchen.

A bathtub or a shower – that is the question. If you are planning a reconstruction of your bathroom, it is probably the most frequently asked one. Let us try to solve the dilemma.

There are people who do not need to solve the question mentioned above. They are lucky enough not to be limited by the size of the bathroom and they can get both a bathtub and a shower. But many of you do not have this option and you need to be careful in this case. Do you love to have a bath, and spend a lot of time by them? Or do you prefer a quick and refreshing shower? Or you do not care, while the financial respect is more important for you? First, you need to answer all these questions to yourself.

Even A Shower Can Be Comfortable

Generally, a shower requires less space than a bathtub, so it is suitable mainly into small bathrooms, where enough place must remain for bathroom furniture. Moreover, you do not necessarily have to lose the comfort even in this case. If you are willing to spend more money, you can get a massage box, which can relieve stress and physical pain after a day of hard work or sport. In any case, keep in mind that the minimum dimensions for a shower box should be 80 x 80 cm, or better yet, 90 x 90 cm.

A Bathtub For The Fans Of Long Baths And Relaxation

This option naturally requires more space, 140 x 70 cm with for an oval bathtub or 125 x 125 cm for a bathtub corner (if you want to enjoy a really comfortable bath). Again, you can get a massage version here, which gives a whole new dimension to your bath. And if you need to take a shower only sometimes, you can buy a bath screen, which creates a combination between a bathtub and a shower.

And if you still cannot decide, look at the offers of the construction stores and the decorative goods in a store on online.

In recent years, the PVC floors have become very popular due to their long life, high durability and their favourable prices. Additionally, this type of flooring perfectly complements the modern lifestyle, it can make the overall housing more pleasant and it also ensures a healthy and clean environment.

If you are choosing a floor and considering what type you should buy, read on to learn about the features and benefits of PVC flooring.

What Is PVC Flooring Made Of?

The PVC floors are made of polyvinyl chloride, which is the second most widely used synthetic material in the world. As to their layers, the PVC floors can be divided into two types:

The heterogeneous PVC floors – these are floors, which are composed of several layers: from the wear layer, design layer, upper PVC layer, the carrier fibres and the lower PVC layer; they defer in their composition or their implementation; the last layer can also be made of PUR, which is easy to maintain; the heterogeneous PVC flooring is suitable for busy areas (e.g. in residential interiors, hospitals, offices, hotels etc.);

The homogeneous PVC floor – it is a flooring consisting of one layer; this type is very durable and it is ideal for high-traffic areas; it can be used e.g. in the entrance areas, in varied halls, hospitals, schools etc.; the homogeneous PVC floors are available only monochromatic or streaked.

The Properties Of PVC Flooring

The PVC floors have a lot of great features. Except from being very durable, flexible and stable, they are also resistant to moisture, and unlike other floor coverings, they do not expand nor shrink, they are warm and easy to install or maintain.

Advantages Of PVC Flooring:

flexible floor surface

dimensional stability and high resilience (e.g. against water, sunlight etc.)

good thermal and sound insulation

easy maintenance

purchase price only

suitable for allergy sufferers

option to install the underfloor heating

Where Can You Lay A PVC Floor?

The PVC floors are suitable for dry rooms. According to the type of the PVC flooring, it can be used in residential, community or medical rooms, in warehouses, in production halls and in other industrial spaces.

The Flexible (Softened) PVC Flooring

This type of PVC flooring features anti-static and anti-slip surface and it is a lifelike imitation of wood, tiles or stone.

The Rigid (Non-Softened) PVC Flooring

The floors made of rigid PVC are very resilient and they have a high abrasion resistance. They can be used especially in rooms such as kitchens or bathrooms, as well as various commercial spaces.

The PVC Flooring For Allergy Sufferers

The PVC flooring is a very good choice if you are an allergic sufferer. This type of flooring protects the interior perfectly against allergens and dust mites.

Choosing Of The PVC Flooring

If you have decided to buy PVC flooring, always follow the technical data sheets, when buying it. It gives you the characteristics of the specific PVC flooring (e.g. its thickness, durability, maximum load, colour fastness) and where the type should preferably be used. Then it is only up to you, what pattern, finish or colour you choose.

Installation Of A PVC Floor

The PVC floor is installed on a clean and dry surface only that is why it is necessary to remove the old flooring first and leave the PVC flooring in the room for at least 24 hours before the installation, so that it could acclimatize to the conditions in the room. During the actual installation, it is necessary to lay it flat and without folds.

The edges should overlap about 10 cm. After installing the PVC flooring, trim it and leave the expansion joints between the walls and flooring of about 1 mm.

The flooring can be installed in two different ways:

free laying, which is suitable for small rooms with dimensions up to 20 m²,

full-surface gluing, which is suitable for larger rooms.

When free laying the floor, fix it at the edges and joints with a tape and stick it to the surface. If full-surface gluing the floor, roll the PVC flooring up, apply the glue on the subfloor and align the PVC flooring. Then do the same on the rest of the floor, always working on a strip of about 1 m wide. After finishing the full-surface gluing, press the PVC flooring down well, or flatten it with a roller. Compared to the free laying of the flooring, you may not walk on the freshly installed floor immediately.